The naming of strep, with apologies to T. S. Eliot.

摘要

To the Editor-Regarding the excellent article on beta-hemolytic streptococci by Broyles et al [1], my conclusion is that it is time, altogether, to stop identifying streptococci by hemolytic patterns or Lancefield grouping. Dr Lancefield did her work on group A and B streptococci in the 1930s, and her grouping, together with hemolytic patterns, remains reliable for Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae. In contrast, in the case of the other groupable streptococci, the species clearly do not follow so-called Lancefield groupings, nor does it follow hemolytic patterns.